His saying, exalted and majestic is He: "And why should I not worship He who created me, and to Him you will be returned?" "Shall I take other than Him gods? If the Most Merciful intends for me harm, their intercession will not avail me at all, nor will they save me." "Indeed, then I would be in clear error." "Indeed, I have believed in your Lord, so listen to me." "It was said, 'Enter Paradise.' He said, 'Oh, would that my people knew.'" "By what my Lord has forgiven me and made me of the honored."

The majority read: "And why should I not" with a فتح (fatha) on the ياء (yaa), while Al-Amash and Hamzah read it with a سكون (sukun) on the ياء. This has been previously mentioned.

And His saying, exalted is He: "And why should I not" is a reprimand to them regarding this matter, which the intellect testifies to its correctness. Indeed, the one who created and brought forth from non-existence to existence is the one who deserves to be worshiped. Then He informed them that they will be gathered to Him on the Day of Resurrection. Then He also reprimanded them regarding taking deities besides Allah, which cannot avert the decrees that Allah intends for them, neither by their power nor by their intercession. Talhah Al-Samman and Isa Al-Hamdani read: "If He intends for me harm" with a فتح (fatha) on the ياء (yaa), and it was narrated from Asim, Nafi, and Abu Amr.

Then he declared his faith and announced, saying: "Indeed, I have believed in your Lord, so listen to me." The interpreters differed. Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, and Ka'b and Wahb said: He addressed his people in a manner of emphasis and warning. It was said: He addressed the messengers in a manner of bearing witness with them and preserving the matter with them. The majority read with a كسر (kasra) on the نون (noon) intending the ياء (yaa) after it, while Abu Bakr narrated from Asim that it was with a فتح (fatha). Abu Hatim said: This is a mistake that is not permissible; it is a command, so either the نون (noon) is omitted or it is broken with the intention of the ياء (yaa).

Qadi Abu Muhammad, may Allah have mercy on him, said:

Here is something omitted that has been transmitted by hadiths and narrations, which is that they killed him, and there is a difference regarding how. Qatadah and others said: They stoned him with stones. Ibn Mas'ud said: They walked on him with their feet until his intestines came out from his back. It was said to him at his death: "Enter Paradise," and that - and Allah knows best - is because his place in it was shown to him, and he realized that he was among its inhabitants by seeing what pleased his eyes. When this was achieved for him, he wished that his people would know about it. It was said: He meant by this compassion and advice for them, meaning: If they knew this, they would believe in Allah. It was said: He wanted them to regret their actions against him and that this would sadden them. This is found in the nature of humanity; when one attains goodness in a land of estrangement, he wishes that his neighbors and peers, with whom he grew up, would know about it; especially in matters of miracles. And similar to this is the saying of the poet:

"And honor is sought and pursued, And I love it most when attained in my homeland."

And the first interpretation is more akin to this righteous servant. In this, the Prophet, blessings and peace be upon him, said: "He advised his people, both alive and dead." And Qatadah ibn Dhamah said: He advised them in a state of anger and pleasure, and likewise, the believer is only found to be an advisor to the people.

'And 'what' in His saying, the Most High: ﴿by what He has forgiven﴾ may be a source, meaning: by the forgiveness of my Lord for me, and it may mean 'that which.' In 'forgave,' there is a pronoun referring back. Al-Zuhri said: and it may be an interrogative, then he weakened it.